The Holly and the Bells
by lightblue-Nymphadora
Summary: 100 Days of AUs. The Death Eaters are becoming more active, the closer it gets to Christmas.


_**LbN: 100 Days of AUs. Swapped out for "Christmas" prompt.**_

**December 1, 1980**

The group met in the bowels of one of the older houses. Up above, the village was decorated in all of the splendid trimmings of the Christmas season. Bright tinsel adorned trees that could be seen through windows. Festive lights were strung on the edges of the houses, making the street look like a path of gingerbread mansions. Little tubby Father Christmas figurines sat on porches, accompanied by elves or reindeer.

But down here there was nothing but darkness. Down here, the small group sat quiet and afraid. Afraid of the man they'd sworn their allegiance to. Just the group was beginning to get truly anxious, he stood.

"To be reduced to a cellar dwelling rat is...unfortunate. Is this what we've come to?"

They knew better than to answer. Most lowered their heads, fearful that the terrible, knowing gaze would fall upon them. One did not. Her eyes never left the figure stalking the room. Even when he came to her side of the table, when he was nearly behind her, she craned to see him.

"These Aurors...what are they to us?" Lord Voldemort asked. "I ordered three killings, but I find that they have not been carried out. Perhaps the spirit of the season is upon you? Perhaps the love of Christmas has made you soft of heart?" Each word was dripping with sinister distaste.

"My Lord! We crave your pardon! The Aurors - Longbottom and his wife -"

"Silence!" Voldemort snapped. "I care nothing for your excuses, Rosier!"

The oppressive silence engulfed them again.

"Bellatrix," Voldemort said. "What say you of this failure?"

"I find myself surprised, my Lord," she said, still not taking her eyes off of him.

"Oh?" He seemed almost amused at her answer.

"After the three told me that they didn't need a woman along, I assumed they could handle it. Thus, I'm surprised your order was not carried out."

And now Voldemort looked pleased, as if he'd been expecting this answer. "You will, I have no doubt, succeed where your comrades have failed. You may pick two to take with you."

She knew this game. Dolohov, Wilkes, and Cadwallader were going to be punished for their failure. She couldn't pick them. "Lestrange, and Rosier."

"Go. And Bellatrix? Consider this...a formal test."

She nodded once, and led the two men out of the room. Back up the stairs, in the dingy light of the Hog's Head, she pulled her hood up and went out to face the gently swirling snow.

"What's your plan?"

"Impress him," she said, grabbing both of them by the arm and Disapparating.

They landed in a thicket of trees just behind one lonely cabin in the woods. There were no barricades, no security measures put in place. Bellatrix turned to Rosier.

"What got in their way," she asked in an undertone.

"The dog."

Bellatrix gave him a long stare, about two seconds longer than anyone would've been comfortable with. Then she strode forward, shooting a killing curse at the dog before it even had time to bark.

The porch was decorated with holly and fake snowflakes. She could smell food cooking, and could hear laughter inside.

"He's a Wizard," Rodolphus said. "He'll fight back. We should go in first."

"I don't intend to give him a chance to fight," Bellatrix whispered, running her wand along the bottom of the door. "And I don't intend on going in."

The talking had stopped. There was whispering inside now.

With very little fuss, Bellatrix set the house on fire.

Rodolphus and Rosier Disapparated, but she stayed to hear the screams from the house, once its inhabitants realized they were sealed inside. The holly crackled and gave off a strangely pleasant aroma, as the house went up in flames.

* * *

**December 11, 1980**

Frank Longbottom slunk into the tiny flat, utterly exhausted. He dropped his briefcase on the couch and smiled for the first time that day. He could hear Alice humming in the kitchen.

"I picked up take-away," she said when he peeked in. "Your favorite - shrimp fried rice with pineapple."

"Have I told you today that you're a saint?" he asked.

"This morning, when I found your other blue sock."

"Well, it bears repeating," he said, kissing her cheek. "How are you doing?"

"Same as always, though Neville actually had his nap today, so that was an accomplishment. How's work?"

"I don't want to talk about work," he groaned. "It's horrible, and horrible isn't good for you and the baby."

She gave a menacing click of her chopsticks. "Franklin Augustus Longbottom, I'm an Auror too. And it's not like I'm pregnant anymore."

He huffed, and opened his carton of food. "More killings. But...they're targeting Muggles now."

"What?" Alice whispered. "I thought...until now…."

"This is a different war now," Frank lamented. He glanced at his wife and smiled. He knew that look. "Okay, Alice. But only for a while. I don't like bringing work home."

"I just want to look."

They made their way into the living room, and Frank took a few files out of his briefcase. "Here you go," he said, crossing his legs on the sofa. He watched her reading as he ate his dinner. She turned white at the last picture, and he cursed himself. He'd forgotten about that one.

"This is terrible," she said. "What's the point? What do they want?"

"To send a message. That they're still out there, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Alice grumbled something about a list of things she'd like to do about it, and picked up her carton of food again. "Those poor Muggles," she said.

Frank rubbed her back. "We're going to get them. Don't worry."

"I want to help," Alice said.

"We can't," Frank said firmly. "Not with Neville. We can't be in the field at the same time."

She reached out and gently took his face in one hand. She held up the picture she'd stopped on. It showed a tiny child, no older than five or six, hanging from the rafters. His parents were dead at his feet. "This is the field," she said, quietly. "Look at these pictures. These people were tortured and murdered in their homes. And they know us, Frank. These aren't some nameless demons in the night - they're our old schoolmates. I know nothing's been proven, but…. What's to stop them from coming here, while you're gone, and doing the same to me and Neville?" He flinched at this, and she scooted closer. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you worry. But this is war. And I would rather know that I was doing everything I could to help my husband fight."

He stared at her for a long time, before leaning in for a kiss.

She backed away, and then grinned at his hurt expression. "Love, you remember you're eating shrimp?"

"Bollocks! Sorry. We never have it - I forget about your allergy. There must be a potion for that," he grumbled. He'd always been mildly offended at the universe for giving his wife an allergy to something as delicious as shellfish. It really wasn't fair to her!

"Haven't found one yet. So, what are you going to do about this?"

"We're trying to find a pattern - see who they're targeting next."

She was quiet for a moment, and took a few bites of chicken before speaking again. "Well...I could help with that then. Send me files, or Floo in to me when you get them. Then I'm here, and relatively safe, and I can still help."

He nodded at her. In truth, having his wife on his side was always an immense source of comfort to him. And she was right - this way, she was relatively safe. "Deal."

* * *

**December 21, 1980**

Bellatrix strode over to where Rodolphus was standing by the fire. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Rodolphus, having already downed half a bottle of firewhiskey, was far too gone to detect his wife's mood. "Wha's it loo like?"

"We have work to do tonight," she hissed. "Have you lost your mind, or just your nerve?"

He paid her no mind, and went to pour another glass. He gave a sharp cry when both the glass and the bottle were blasted out of his hand. In a fury, he turned and struck Bellatrix across the face. Even in his current state, he noticed how she never flinched. Then he crumpled, as intense, blinding pain hit him. He writhed on the floor, vision swimming. "Bella," he gasped. "Please." He threw up from the sharp pains tearing their way through his body.

"It's not me," she said, sounding amused.

The pain slacked, and Rodolphus looked up to see a blonde now standing by Bellatrix. Narcissa.

"Evening, Cissy," Bellatrix said. "You brought Malfoy?"

"Yes. He's waiting in the drawing room, with the others."

"Sit this one out, Rodolphus," Bellatrix said, as she and Narcissa swept past him. "We wouldn't want to put you off your tea."

* * *

**December 24, 1980**

Frank goggled. He wasn't, under normal circumstances, one for goggling. But he did now, as the group of Aurors waiting outside the house happened to include his wife.

"Before you ask," she said, "He's with your mother. And no, I'm not going home. They're my friends too."

The sleepy town was quiet, save for the chiming of the church bells.

One...two...three….

"We need to get in there and get them out now before -" said Alistor Moody, the most senior of the team. But he stopped when there were loud Apparating noises inside the house.

Four...five...six…

"Quick!" Frank shouted.

The team rushed in, and it was immediate chaos. Obviously, the Death Eaters had been planning another torture session, because the family - the Hallams, long friends of the Longbottoms - had been bound, but not killed.

Alice fought like a demon, and whoever she was dueling was just as good. On a whim, she shot a spell that knocked the woman's mask off. "Bellatrix," she hissed. She'd known. She'd known from the rumors at school, and the pictures from the crime scenes.

The older witch didn't spare words, but she also didn't mess about with hexes anymore. Green flashes of light met angry red ones as the two witches fought. The living room was too small for dueling though, and half of the people from both sides had gotten tripped up, or hexed.

There was a deep cry from their right, but Alice didn't bother to look and see who it was. This was it - the best shot they'd had at bringing in the people responsible for all the fear and dread crossing the nation. She dodged another Killing Curse, and made the Christmas tree explode. Timber, tinsel, holly and glass flew through the air, like dandelion spores in the wind. Bellatrix was trapped beneath some of the debris.

Alice stood up and brushed some of the pine needles off of her. She was covered in red splatters from where the holly had exploded. "You're under arrest -" she began.

Another Death Eater stepped from around the corner and blasted her backwards. She fell over the couch and landed on top of Mr. Hallam, who was thankfully unconscious. When she stood up again, Bellatrix and the masked Death Eater had gone.

As one, the team swore.

Alistor Moody had at least bagged one of the Death Eaters. He glanced around the destroyed room. "Let's put this right, and head back."

Outside, the bells finished their tolls.

Ten...eleven...twelve….


End file.
